NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 13 — A day after President Uhuru Kenyatta unveiled ODM leader Raila Odinga as his preferred successor, Deputy President William Ruto’s allies have come out guns blazing demanding a public commitment that he will peacefully hand over power and respect outcome of the August 9 vote.
Speaking in Thika Stadium, Kiambu County, the leaders led by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and his Nakuru counterpart Susan Kihika said they had accepted President Kenyatta’s decision to back Odinga but the Head of State must undertake to honour the will of the people as expressed through the ballot.
“I want to ask President Uhuru Kenyatta in front of all Kenyans and the International Community to publicly assure us that when his project will be defeated in the coming polls, he will peacefully and smoothly hand over power to William Samoei Ruto,” Murkomen said.
Kihika echoed the sentiments even as she reminded President Kenyatta that he had “betrayed the people” by failing to honour a promise he made publicly in numerous campaign meetings that he would support Ruto at the end of his 10-year reign.
“President Kenyatta came to Nakuru and shook hands with DP Ruto and said ‘Zake kumi, na za Ruto Kumi’. I now want to ask, has my President become a con man after decamping to ODM?”
Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru, Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa and his Gatundu South counterpart Moses Kuria said they will not be intimidated by anyone including State machinery for standing with Ruto.
“As one of those who have been intimidated after joining forces with our DP, I want to tell them; we will not be intimidated, we will not stop supporting William Ruto. This should be clear to them. We are not afraid,” said Waiguru.
Leaders allied to Kenyatta and Ruto were all under Jubilee Party in 2013 and 2017 general elections but split into two factions after the handshake between Kenyatta and Odinga in March 9, 2018 which saw the DP sidelined in government and his allies evicted from parliamentary leadership slots.
“We want to tell him (Kenyatta) that; that is his democratic right. We also have ours. We will elect and support DP Ruto and he should be ready to accept the outcome when Raila loses [miserably] to the DP,” Kandara MP Alice Wahome said.
On Saturday, President Kenyatta publicly declared his support for Odinga after unveiling his as the presidential candidate for the Azimio Movement which he leads as Patron.
Kenyatta said he was grateful to all the party leaders under the Azimio La Umoja Movement who shelved their ambitions to back Odinga for the seat.
“The next president of Kenya will be Raila Amolo Odinga,” Kenyatta said during the signing of a coalition agreement binding 21 political parties under Azimio La Umoja coalition.
“I know by Gods Grace, he will ensure that our country will be ahead in development. Our country will be ahead in unity, fight against corrupt and Kenya will be respected by all other nations in the world. I am very confident of that,” he added
Kenyatta particularly lauded Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Gideon Moi of KANU among others for opting to support Odinga for the top job.
Wiper and KANU parties on Saturday signed an agreement to join the Azimio La Umoja Coalition as individual entities abandoning the One Kenya Alliance which was consider a third force in the State House race.
The two parties are among 19 others that appended their signatures to the coalition agreement that was later ratified by close to 300 Azimio delegates.
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